TV Articles

Sharp updates AQUOS lineup, intros SmartCentral interface

LAS VEGAS--The mantra for Sharp's new AQUOS LED TV line unveiled at CES 2013 on Monday morning might be as simple as this: bigger and better.

The bigger quality will be obvious from the get-go with 21 new displays in the 60-, 70-, 80-, and 90-inch LED TVs in the AQUOS portfolio.

But the better comes in the form of upgraded display quality as well as more digital content and connectivity.

With the 80-inch class displays in particular, Sharp has added a new layer dubbed "Super Bright," which is the combination of an intelligent contrast engine with … Read more

Sharp debuts 32-inch 4K resolution IGZO LCD monitor

LAS VEGAS--Sharp kicked off its media event at the 2013 International CES on Monday by revealing the future of the electronics giant's display portfolio.

Specifically, that strategy is being spearheaded by IGZO (Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide) technology as Sharp unveiled a 32-inch 4K resolution IGZO LCD monitor.

IGZO is based on a compound semi-conductor that produces approximately twice the resolution of current LCDs.

Sharp described that IGZO produces a more natural picture with greater presence while delivering more visual information than ever before.

Kozo Takahashi, executive vice president of Sharp Corporation, remarked during Monday's press conference that IGZO … Read more

Sharp's 6 series LCDs feature smart TV

LAS VEGAS--Sharp has announced its 6 series televisions for 2013, which, while they include a mix of 3D and non-3D models, will all have Smart TV features.

The TVs will include a Smart TV suite and will be powered by a dual-core processor. A new SmartCentral feature enables users to watch video in a picture-by-picture mode with the TV's onboard Web browser.

The LE657 will feature 3D and ship with two new Bluetooth 3D glasses, which don't require line of sight to work. The models are the 60-inch LC-60LE657 and 70-inch LC-70LE657 due in March.

The non-3D LE650 … Read more

LG's OLED TV to arrive in March for about $12K

LAS VEGAS -- LG's flagship OLED television set will arrive in the U.S. this March, the company announced here today.

The model will cost "about" $12,000 LG's U.S. marketing chief James Fishler said at the company's press conference at the Consumer Electronics Show.

The 55-inch TV set design first debuted at last year's CES and won CNET's highest honor, but was delayed, due to what was rumored to be issues manufacturing the set.

Last week LG said its 55-inch OLED TV model (55EM9700) would arrive in South Korea next month … Read more

Panasonic President Kazuhiro Tsuga's CES 2013 keynote: Join us Tuesday, 8:30 a.m. PT (live blog)

The entire consumer-electronics world will be focused on Las Vegas this week as the 2013 International CES kicks off in Las Vegas. Today is about major press conferences from the industry's leading companies, but tomorrow, the eyes of the industry will be on the opening keynote address from incoming Panasonic President Kazuhiro Tsuga, who will follow brief remarks on the state of the industry by CEA President and CEO Gary Shapiro. The event starts at 8:30 a.m. PT (11:30 a.m. ET) on Tuesday, January 8, and CNET will be there covering it live. We'll … Read more

Philips sound bar has detachable rear speakers, gets you true surround sound

LAS VEGAS--If you go with a sound bar instead a speaker system, you generally have to give up true surround sound. Unless, of course, your sound bar is a transformer.

The Philips Fidelio Soundbar HTL9100 is billed as the "world's first sound bar with detachable speakers," as the far ends of the sound bar can be removed and used as rear speakers. The detachable, battery-powered speakers operate wirelessly and Philips claims 10 hours of battery life. The speakers then recharge automatically when they're reattached.

The HTL9100 also features two HDMI inputs, in addition to an optical … Read more

Vizio does 4K at 65 and 70 inches

LAS VEGAS--Today Vizio announced that it would join the other big TV makers in offering a 4K television in 2013. Its XVT series will ship sometime this summer, and currently the company says it will include 65- and 70-inch members.

UHD/4K in this case means a pixel count of 3,840x2,160 -- four times as many pixels as today's 1080p TVs. The advantage, according to its proponents, is an even sharper picture. One problem, according to us, is that you'll have to sit very close, especially to a screen this small, to appreciate the difference. There … Read more

Polk Audio's Woodbourne is a Bluetooth speaker with high-end refinement

LAS VEGAS--Bluetooth speakers are taking over CES 2013, but the vast majority of them are cheap, small, and seemingly indistinguishable.

Polk Audio's new Woodbourne is on the other end of the spectrum, with a stylish retro-looking design that's made to be the centerpiece of a room. The Woodbourne's mahogany wood veneer top gives it a furniture-like feel, not to mention its sizable footprint: 24 inches wide, 7 inches tall, 6.88 inches deep, and 17.5 pounds. Most Bluetooth speakers focus on portability, but the Woodbourne is meant to be placed in a room and never moved.… Read more

Roku surpasses 700 channels, adds Roku Ready TV partners

LAS VEGAS--Roku has no new hardware here at CES 2013, but that's not stopping the company from building on its success: content, content, content. The company just crossed the 700-channel benchmark for its line of smart TV boxes, and it's got even more new services on deck for 2013.

Among the new channels that Roku is planning to add (in the territories indicated) in the first quarter of 2013:

TWC TV: This app adds upwards of 300 live streaming TV channels for existing Time Warner Cable subscribers at no additional charge. (U.S. only) Fox Now: This is … Read more